The increase in seafood dishes could also be partly economic. “We found that restaurants have begun rolling out a number of new seafood dishes, especially entrées incorporating grilled shrimp, salmon or tilapia,” says Bernadette Noone, director of product management at Technomic. “We believe the higher incidence of seafood dishes is the direct result of a fall in seafood’s retail price points. We’ve also seen countless restaurants introduce new menu offerings featuring citrus and other fruit flavors.”
Technomic’s recent look at seafood dishes reveals such menu additions as shrimp tacos, lobster tails, grilled salmon and mahi mahi, to name just a few. The seafood trend seems to show up across all restaurant segments, from QSRs to fine-dining establishments. A sampling includes Orange-and-Chipolte-Glazed Grilled Salmon at Jackson’s Steakhouse; Blackened Tilapia with Crab-Stuffed Shrimp at Luby’s; and Crispy Shrimp Tacos at Carrows Restaurants.